2016 Multicultural Calendar Featuring 12 festivals and recipes from around the world Funded by the Australian Government Department of Health How to cook Loukoumades Blessing of the Waters Ingredients 1 packet (7g or 2¼ oz) active dry yeast th The traditional Greek Festival of Epiphany is held every year on the 6 of January. 1 tbsp sugar 2 cups warm water Greek Orthodox Churches around the world enact the Great Blessing of the Waters ceremony 3 cups plain flour 1 (‘Megas Agiasmos’). This commemorates the revelation of the Holy Trinity at the Baptism of /4 tsp salt 1 /8 tsp nutmeg, freshly ground Christ in the Jordan River. It is one of the oldest and most holy days of the Church. 1 tsp vanilla extract Vegetable oil for frying Ceremonies are usually held in the open air near ports or harbours, cities and towns. Following Honey (for topping) the service, the priest boards the Coast Guard’s boat to perform a special blessing of all waters. Ground cinnamon (for topping) Prayers are said and a wooden cross is thrown into the water. Method Young Greek men of the Orthodox faith swim out from the shore 1) In a large bowl, mix yeast and sugar into half a cup and race to retrieve the cross. One lucky young man emerges of the warm water. When mixture turns foamy, in about 5 minutes, stir in remaining 1½ cups warm smiling, holding up the cross to a cheering crowd, as he will be water along with the flour, salt, nutmeg and vanilla. blessed with good fortune for the rest of the year. 2) Mix until batter is thick but smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until almost The formalities are followed by the festival or ‘paniyiri’ – Greek doubled in size, about 1–1½ hours. (The dough style with lots of music, dancing and food! One of the best known should be very soft and bubbly.) and most loved sweets are the ‘loukoumades’ or honey puffs. 3) Pour oil into a deep fryer or saucepan, making sure Source: Mary Andreas, Sunshine Coast there are at least 2 inches between the oil surface and the top of the pot. Heat the oil. ‘Blessing of the Holy Water at San River’ by Silar available at https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/1.1_Sanok%2C_Blessing_of_the_holy_water_at_San_River.JPG under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0. Calendar vignette: ‘DSC_0253_pp’ by Walter available at https://www.flickr.com/photos/walterpro/11810705054 under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0. Full terms at https://creativecommons.org/licenses 4) Working in batches, slide dollops of the batter (about a heaped tablespoon) into the hot oil, making sure not to crowd the pan. Dollops will puff up and float to the surface. Turn occasionally, until batter is a crisp, golden brown on all sides (about 3–4 minutes). 5) Remove carefully with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Repeat as many times as necessary. Place drained puffs on warm platter and keep warm. To serve, place 4 or 5 fried puffs into a bowl, drizzle honey over and dust generously with cinnamon. Loukoumades are best when eaten warm. JANUARY 2016 New Year’s Day MOON LAST QTR 31 National Holiday 1 2 Oshogatsu (Shinto) Independence Day (Sudan/Haiti) Restoration Day (Czech) Establishment Day (Slovakia) Independence Day (Nauru) Mary, Mother of God (Catholic) Guru Har Rai Birthday (Sikh) Feast of St Basil (Orthodox) Berchtold’s Day (Switzerland) 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Epiphany/Theophany (Christian/ Orthodox Christian) Nativity of Christ (Armenian Feast of the Nativity (Eastern/ Orthodox Christian) Orthodox/Coptic Christian) Republic Day (Srpska) Independence Day (Myanmar) Army Day (Iraq) Koshogatsu (Shinto) Feast of the Holy Family (Catholic) Kayin New Year (Myanmar) NEW MOON 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Revolution Day (Zanzibar) Guru Gobindh Singh Jayanti Baptism of Lord Jesus (Catholic) Birthday of Swami Vivekananda Makar Sankranti (Hindu) Birthday (Sikh) Traditional Day (Benin) (India) Maghi-Lori (Sikh) Julian New Year (Orthodox Christian) Seijn Shiki (Shinto) Religious Freedom Day (USA) MOON FIRST QTR 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Dr Martin Luther King Jr Day (USA) Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Uzhavar Tirunal (India) 18-25 Week of Prayer for Timkat (Ethiopian Orthodox Christian) Jayanti (India) World Religion Day (Baha’i) Christian Unity (Christian) Martyrs’ Day (Azerbaijan) Errol Barrow Day (Barbados) Mahayana New Year (Buddhist) 23-9 Feb Carnevale (Italy) FULL MOON Australia Day 24 25National Holiday 26 27 28 29 30 Tu B’Shevat (Jewish) International Holocaust Unification Day (Romania) 2011 Revolution Day (Egypt) Republic Day (India) Remembrance Day (UN) National Army Day (Armenia) “At his best, man is the noblest of animals; separated from law and justice he is the worst.” – Aristotle A simple recipe for Yeu Sang (Yusheng) Chinese New Year There are many versions of this dish in different Chinese- populated regions. The recipe below is a simple version Prosperity! Who wouldn’t like a plate of that? you can make at home. Amounts used vary. Each person makes up their own plate based on the Fresh, simple and very healthy, the ‘Prosperity Toss’, Yeu Sang (or Yusheng) in Cantonese, is a things they want to attract into their lives for the coming great New Year dish. Yeu Sang means ‘an increase in abundance’. It is consumed on Renri, the year, for example they may add more of one ingredient seventh day of Chinese New Year, which is considered to be the birthday of humanity. for increased health, or of another for financial success. Plate Ingredients Yeu Sang is a fresh salad, usually comprised of shredded fresh vegetables, noodles, pickled Fish (salmon/sashimi) – abundance ginger, lime, sashimi salmon and Chinese plum sauce. The noodles are a symbol for longevity, Red capsicum – wealth carrots and lime are for luck, green vegetables for eternal youth, oil to encourage the flow of Carrots – good luck money, plum sauce to ‘make life sweet’ and raw fish (salmon) to symbolize material success. Cucumber – health Golden Crackers – great wealth (gold) Crushed peanuts and sesame seeds are sprinkled on to symbolize showers of gold and silver. Pickled green Chinese radish – eternal youth/vitality Romaine lettuce to garnish The base ingredients (noodles and vegetables) are served first. The leader among the diners, Pickled ginger cut into rose shape to garnish or restaurant server, then proceeds to add the fish and sauces while saying “auspicious wishes” (jixiang hua) as each ingredient is added. All of the diners then stand and toss the ingredients Condiments into the air with chopsticks while saying “lo hei, lo hei” (“auspicious wishes”). Sesame oil – easy flow of money Peanuts, crushed – gold and silver The height of their toss is believed to symbolize the height of the diners’ growth in fortune, so Sesame seeds, browned – prosperity / coins Plum sauce – connection with family & friends they usually toss quite enthusiastically! Method Source: Charlie and Vanessa See Toh (pictured) 1) Slice or shred vegetables into thin strips. Arrange all plate ingredients on a platter, in a bed of romaine lettuce garnished with the picked ginger ‘rose’. 2) Surround platter with condiments in shallow dishes like a buffet, ready for your family and friends to participate in the ‘Prosperity Toss’! FEBRUARY 2016 MOON LAST QTR 1 2 3 4 5 6 Presentation of Our Lord in the Waitangi Day (New Zealand) Temple (Orthodox Christian) Liberation Day (Angola) International Day of Zero Abolition of Slavery (Mauritius) Candlemas (Christian) Heroes’ Day (Mozambique) World Cancer Day (UN) Kashmir Day (Pakistan) Tolerance to Female Genital National Freedom Day (US) Groundhog Day (US/Canada) Rissun/Setsubun-Sai (Shinto) National Day (Sri Lanka) Constitution Day (Mexico) Mutilation (UN) 7 8 NEW MOON 9 10 11 12 13 Vasant Panchami (Hindu) Tet Nguyen Dan (Vietnam) National Foundation Day (Japan) Union Day (Myanmar) Independence Day (Grenada) Chinese New Year National Sports Day (Qatar) Revolution Day (Iran) Lincoln’s Birthday (USA) 7-9, Seollal (South Korea) Preserens Day (Slovenia) Losar (Tibetan New Year) Ash Wednesday (Christian) Lateran Treaty Day (Vatican City) Darwin Day (Atheist/Humanist) World Radio Day (UN) 14MOON FIRST QTR 15 16 17 18 19 20 Nirvana Day (Buddhist) Liberation Day (Afghanistan) National Democracy Day (Nepal) Statehood Day (Serbia) Restoration of the State Day Toshigoi (Shinto) 19-6 March, Sydney Gay & St Valentine’s Day (Christian) Presidents Day (USA) (Lithuania) Revolution Day (Libya) Independence Day (Gambia) Lesbian Mardi Gras (Australia) World Day of Social Justice (UN) 21 22FULL MOON 23 24 25 26 27 Magha Puja/Sangha Day Defence of the Motherland (Theravada) (Buddhism) (Russia) International Mother Language Guru Ravidas Birthday (India) National Day (Brunei) Independence Day (Dominican Day (UNESCO) Meak Bochea Day (Cambodia) Republic Day (Guyana) Independence Day (Estonia) Liberation/National Day (Kuwait) 26-29 Intercalary Days (Baha’i) Republic) 28 29 Peace Memorial Day (Taiwan) “Governing a great nation is like cooking a small fish – too much handling will spoil it.” – Lao-Tzu, Chinese philosopher How to cook Chicken Karahi Pakistan Day Ingredients 1 /4 cup oil rd Every year Pakistan Day is celebrated on the 23 of March throughout Pakistan with national ½ kg chicken enthusiasm and spirit to commemorate the Lahore Resolution of 1940. 2 tbsp ginger paste ½ tomato The Lahore Resolution proved a successful culmination of the long struggle for independence by 1 tbsp dried fenugreek the Muslims of South Asia. This struggle took seven years to be realised with the formation of a 1 tsp coriander seeds (ground) new emerging Muslim State on the world map – Pakistan. 1 tbsp garam masala (ground) 2 tbsp yoghurt The day reminds Pakistani people that they have shaped Pakistan and that they are the same 2 tbsp dry red chilli 2 tbsp butter people who will make it develop.